What comes to mind when you read the words “Worthy Goal?” Do you think of familiar resolutions like losing weight, eating healthier, working towards a promotion, reading your Bible daily, traveling to an exotic locale?
None of those are bad in and of themselves. Through the years I’ve made plenty of resolutions just like those. No judgment from this gal who, in her twenties, had resolutions in about ten different categories and tracked her progress on index cards! Glad I’ve gotten over that stage.
As the years passed, I made fewer and fewer commitments tied to the turning of the calendar year. I’ve come to believe that the areas in our lives where we see room for improvement aren’t necessarily January goals. Mine tend to be daily goals, and almost always repeat offenders!
So this year, I decided to think differently. Instead of resolutions, I asked myself a simpler question – How would I like to see my life change?
If we’re honest, that’s what most resolutions are really about anyway. We imagine our lives would be better if we were thinner, healthier, wealthier, more spiritual and more well-traveled.
My intention isn’t to rain on anyone’s resolution parade. Many resolutions are highly commendable – especially those related to spiritual health. And I’ll still work toward similar goals, even if I don’t formally label them as resolutions.
I’m simply offering up a different perspective.
When I asked myself what would truly make my life better right now, two things came to mind almost immediately: I would like to be less lonely, and I would like to experience less stress.
In other words, “Dear resolution god, please make my life happier!” (Note the lower-case g.)
Stay with me as I try to make sense of where this is headed.
Let’s start with loneliness. Despite the eight years since Dale’s been gone, loneliness continues to be an unwanted companion, sometimes feeling more pronounced the longer I’m without him.
Read the full post here where I addressed this in greater detail.
The takeaway was this: God could use this season of loneliness for a greater purpose. To draw me closer to him. To increase my dependence on him. And to deepen my compassion for others who walk this same road.
Now let’s talk about stress. If I’m honest, 2025 has been a rough year in that department. And yes, there was a blog post to go along with it! Here’s where I talked about my “Elijah Moment” when escape into the wilderness sounded more appealing than perseverance.
What I learned, though, was that God was quietly at work behind the scenes, accomplishing far more than I could see at the time. Through those stressful circumstances, I was once again reminded of how big and powerful my God is—and how personally and faithfully he loves me.
Those realizations led me to ask myself a hard question, If God is teaching you so much through loneliness and stress, why would you want them completely removed from your life?
Crazy question, right?
But it exposed something important. The comforts I was longing for were shallow and short-sighted. Ultimate happiness—lasting joy—comes from something deeper.
My hope, my desire, my prayer for 2026 is this: that God would help me trust that his path is always better, regardless of the struggle. And when I recognize that and allow him to continue his work in my life, all the glory would belong to him.
That’s my resolution for 2026 – that my life would increasingly give God glory.
Now that’s a worthy goal!
Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but to your name be the glory.
Psalm 115:1
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